Masked by Howling Winds
by PatrioticStars
Summary: A virus has been spreading across the globe, killing the weak and leaving the immune with nothing but painful loneliness and loss. As the government takes measures to secure the immune and get rid of everyone else, Matthias and Lukas sit within their home on a snowy night, knowing that these few moments would certainly be their last together.


**A/N: This was written out of sheer boredom at 2:30 AM with no editing/revising done whatsoever. Enjoy ;)**

 **Warnings: Character death.**

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A quick, frantic glance out the window and out to the snowy streets filled with military vehicles and uniformed men told Matthias that they had minimal time left to say goodbye.

He cursed himself for not listening to Lukas' warnings a month ago. He had told Matthias that the community was going to be evacuated soon, that the immune would be separated from everyone else, and that they should get out while they still could. Matthias hadn't listened and now look at where that got them.

"I'm sorry, Lukas. I'm so, so sorry," the taller blonde whimpered, clearly on the verge of tears, although he knew that if he started crying, then the other would, too. "I should have listened to you. I fucked up, and now we're fucked, and this whole thing is just a big fucking mess!" He ran his fingers through his wild hair before meeting Lukas' deep indigo eyes. The Norwegian appeared to be calm on the exterior with his stoic expression and relaxed stance, but he most certainly was not and Matthias knew him enough to realize that. The two finally embraced in a tight, desperate hug, knowing very well that this would be one of their last moments of physical contact.

"It's okay," Lukas nearly whispered, gripping Matthias' body as if letting go would mean losing him forever, which in this case, might have been the reality of this moment. Both men flinched at the sounds of single gunshots beginning to fire at different locations up and down the street, but tried to ignore them as they needed to focus on their last moments with each other. Lukas leaned back from the hug but did not let go completely—only pulled away enough to look at Matthias' face and brush a few stray golden locks away from bright blue eyes. "It will be alright. Stop apologizing. It isn't your fault."

"We could have avoided all of this if I had just listened!" Matthias insisted stubbornly, his tone heavy with regret and anguish. Lukas let out a sigh, wishing that the other would stop blaming himself. He hated seeing him in such a state opposite of his usual lively, excited, and joyful demeanor. The way the Dane looked at him made him seem like a big puppy who had done something petty, like accidentally knocking over a vase, and then spent the entire time whimpering at his owner's feet because he felt guilty, despite it being completely fine.

Lukas had never been good at dealing with the emotions of another or just emotions in general. It was not in the sense that he had no emotions at all himself, but rather they just plain _confused_ him and he was never able to figure out what to do with them all. Love had been a particularly irritating emotion in the past, but fortunately, he had found a big dork who didn't care that he wasn't initially sure of how to act in a romantic relationship and loved him regardless of how many times he insulted or criticized him without realizing that the things he said probably would really hurt anyone else.

However, Lukas found himself easily comforting Matthias with gentle, reassuring words and soothing strokes of his hand across the taller man's back as their foreheads pressed together. "Calm down," he told him kindly, yet firmly. "I don't want to spend our last few minutes together with you whining like an annoying child."

At this, the corners of Matthias' mouth twitched up into the smallest of smiles and he responded softly with, "I don't, either." And then the couple simply sat there together on the couch in peaceful silence, save for the occasional bang! from elsewhere outside. "I'll miss you," he then added, still smiling in hopes that it would help him get past the utter feelings of terror and sadness their circumstances have caused. "A lot."

With a nod and an attempt to return a ghost of a smile, Lukas ran a hand down from Matthias' shoulder to his hand, which he grabbed and squeezed tightly. "I'll miss you, too. We'll find each other again someday, okay? I promise you." He meant it, too. No matter what happened, they would surely meet each other again, and then they would be happy, and they would have no deadly and rapidly-spreading virus to worry about, no dead friends to hold funerals for, and no separation to divide their relationship. Someday they would be together in peace and happiness and everything would be alright.

And then they sat there in a tranquil silence, holding each other close with their eyes closed, although neither fell asleep—knowing what would inevitably happen by the end of the night did not allow for them to do so. Inside of their little shared home, a fire in front of them crackled and danced on its hearth, providing them with their only source of light and heat other than one another. Shadows jumped about the walls and floor of the living room they were settled in, while they sat quietly nuzzled together with their bodies entangled. Outside came the dull sounds of heavy boots running through the snow, advancing towards houses and rapping on the doors of their neighbors who had not yet left town. There would be a sharp sound here and there—gunshots—but the strengthening wind howled louder and louder as the night progressed, creeping by at an excruciating pace.

Angry footsteps quickly approached their front door as the flames in their fireplace began to weaken. The two of them did not move, knowing quite well that there was nothing they could do about this. "I love you," Matthias breathed, carefully and gingerly grabbing Lukas' chin to tilt his head up and plant a long, soft kiss upon his lips.

Lukas cradled the other's head in his hands as he returned the kiss before reluctantly breaking it to whisper back, "I love you, too." Their sad eyes met as their front door slammed open and uniformed men filed in quickly, separating the two men forcefully with one being dragged outside and into the snow and the other forced to his knees on the red carpeted floor inside.

"Lukas!"

"Matt—"

The door was slammed shut, and that was the last moment they were able to lock eyes. Outside, wide blue irises stared back at the house, just wishing the men who had stormed inside would be out and finished quickly. The still, painful silence was too much for him to handle for another second. He could not take waiting like this anymore. Wind blew hair into his face, but he made no effort to fix it, completely frozen in shock and fear and disbelief before anything even could happen.

The shot sounded from inside, but the desperate shouts and cries and sobs of anguish and pain outdoors could not be heard over the monstrous storm.

From then on, Lukas pressed forward alone.


End file.
